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1/2/10
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Poll Heavy snowfall headed toward Maine today
8 to 12 inches expected for many sections of state
ELLSWORTH, Maine — The steady snow that ushered in the new year Thursday night and Friday was just a warm-up for the storm that is expected to hit the state today.
Snow continued falling into the evening Friday, and the second blast was predicted to begin again Saturday morning. This is a major winter storm, and snowfall will continue through into Sunday, dropping 8 to 12 inches across many sections of the state and close to a foot and a half of snow in central and eastern Maine, according to the National Weather Service. The biggest danger in the storm may not come from the snow, but from the wind that the storm will bring with it.
“As the storm develops, it’s going to pick up in intensity,” said Ken Wallingford, a meteorologist with NWS in Caribou. “The biggest concern is that it’s going to pick up a lot of wind. There will be significant blowing and drifting with this storm. We can expect near whiteout and blizzard conditions during the evening hours.”
To be safe, people should stay home and off the roads, Wallingford said Friday.
In Bangor, crews from the Public Works Department were headed to the city’s side and residential streets early Friday evening to plow before the major storm hits Saturday.
“We’ve got a full crew in going out to clean and plow,” Danny Bigelow, foreman, said about 5:15 p.m. “They’ll head home when we get that done tonight to hopefully get some sleep before they have to come back tomorrow.”
The city has a total of 35 street plows, sand trucks, sidewalk machines and loaders that are used during major storms, he said.
The second storm is taking an unusual track. Most winter storms come up from the mid-Atlantic states and then head into the Gulf of Maine and over Nova Scotia. This storm is expected to track off the East Coast well south of Nova Scotia and then turn to the north and then northwest heading into the coast of Maine. That will mean that snowfall will start Down East in areas near Eastport and Calais and then spread throughout the state. Snowfall from this storm is expected to start Saturday morning and continue throughout the day and night and into Sunday. Winds will begin to pick up in the late afternoon and evening, with steady winds of 20 to 30 mph out of the north, with gusts as high as 35 or 40 mph.
This will be an all-snow event for most of the storm, Wallingford said, adding that the winds will be drawing in warm air from the south, and some areas, particularly Down East, could see a changeover to rain as the storm winds down.
According to the NWS, the New Year’s Eve storm dropped more snow on eastern Maine with the highest amounts generally in Hancock and Penobscot counties. Unofficial observations showed snowfalls of 5 inches in Brooksville and Hampden, 4.5 inches in Bucksport, 4.3 inches in Ellsworth, 3 inches in Corinth and Old Town and 2.5 in Orono and Blue Hill.
At Acadia National Park, officials closed a section of Ocean Drive on Friday because of the snow.
BDN writer Judy Harrison contributed to this report.
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I find the biggest threat ("expression of intent to damage or injure, intimidation, danger") of a storm are the meteorologist who in my opinion know nothing about predicting the weather...
After a week of hype by the local TV stations that undoubtedly cost many businesses a lot of money due to cancellations and so on, we'll see what we get. Storms must be good for their ratings, because they can play a six or eight inch snowfall into a blockbuster event. Get your storm packs ready...blankets, flashlights, extra food and water, stay inside, and kiss your butt goodbye, because this is the big one! A big snow event in Maine in January, who would have imagined?
well part one was a flop (a dusting). stay tuned for part deux. (anyone care to bet a few coins)
GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!!!!!!!
What makes me laugh is when they report about how the snow shovels are flying off the racks......did these people not realize back in Oct. / Nov. that
it was going to SNOW soon?? Did they not realize they live in MAINE? There are that many people living here who don't already own a shovel?? What
have they been doing up til now, clearing their sidewalks and driveways with a SPOON??
I swear everyone was crowding the stores as usual and all on Thursday and well to be honest nothing happened to significant at all on Friday. we will see what Saturday Brings but so far I am not that impressed at all..
Not that I like the snow but I have pretty much cancelled a lot of plans and appointments in case this snow got out of hand. There have been all sorts of storm warnings and all still not seen a thing.
We will see.. but I don't see this as being the big one either.
WINTER SUCKS!
A friend called me from Hannaford last night and she said it was wall to wall cars, with lines in the store going from the registers to the aisles. Batteries, water, etc. Someone else here made the comment about snow shovels flying off the shelves and I'm in agreement with them...where do these people think that they live??? By October I've got the house stocked with dry goods, rock salt, shovels, (sleds), batteries and gallons of water. First aid kit, lanterns and propane stove..not to mention the car is winter ready. We live in Maine for goodness sakes, why are people panicked about a 24 hour storm?? This stuff should be in the house and ready ANY time. Earlier this summer I stopped at a military goods store over in Brewer and bought a whole box of hand and foot warmers for $5, a box of glow-sticks for $5 and some are in the car and some are in the house. I've got small kids and it's just as much my responsibility to be prepared for storms as it is to have food or medicine in the house on any given day. It doesn't cost much money to grab a few things here or there thru the year, batteries at the Dollar Store, a few extra canned goods, etc.
I stocked up on suntan lotion and air conditioners 'cause Al Gore said the polar ice caps were gonna melt and it was gonna be 80 degrees here in February...
where's the 100 feet of snow we were going to get?been snowing for 3 days and we have may be 5 inches.
I have a suggestion for the posters who are tired of weathermen being wrong all the time. Don't watch, read or listen to any forecasts. Plan your lives around what YOU think the weather will be. As for me, i kind of like being forewarned that a significant snow event is probable. In fact, i still find if amazing that the warnings began almost a week ago. Of course forecasters aren't 100% accurate 100% of the time. But they do a much better job than I could on my own.
Winter in MAINE...gotta love it. If you can't handle it...move.
Bring it on!!
Danwoj, right on!
Skipperskitchen: even if you had the technology, I wouldn't trust ANY forcast by you.
Those of you who expected more snow Friday weren't seeing the latest forecasts. The one for today changed overnight (for somewhat less for Bangor at least). Stay alert, stay tuned.
Other critics, Including the GW headline): hope you're kidding and sarcastic. If not, get real (and a life).
AMomsOpinion,
I don't love it, and I do plan to move as soon as I retire!
With All The Negativity
Wow~So Far They Have Been Right On With This One
Around 5 inches so Far~~That Is What They Said
And The Biggest Part Will Be Today And Tomorrow
And this Constant Yapping About Global Warming
Is Just Like Howling At The Moon
You get Used To It~~But Always Wonder Where The Wolf IS
And What BS he Has Up His Sleeve
Watch out folks! Global cooling is here to stay.
Here's my forecast: Heavy snow all weekend that will be cleared up by Monday morning so I'll still have to go to work.
I believe everyday a significant snowfall event is possible, maybe the weatherman should tell us that everyday, then we got nothing to complain about when it really does snow
hey ydnar, that's brilliant! Take all day to think that up? Why don't you apply for the TV weatherman job? Your cutting wit, sarcasm, and scientific expertise will certainly get you hired! You can do better, right?